Feel like such a Failure

KNL6/25/05 · Aug 25, 2005

Not trying to get sympathy, but just wanted to see if any of you who were out of school for awhile... along while, like myself. I went back after like 12 years. I never did to good in school either, yet I try to make myself believe it is because I didn't care back then, like I do now. Well to make long story short, I have been going for about a year and half now, In the beginning
computer applications-b
Psychology- A
SOCIAL SCIENCE- MARRIAGE& FAMILY- A
PRE-ALGEBRA(MY WORST SUBJECT) A
ENGLISH 1- A
ENGLISH 2- B
Then I began these spring/summer courses
Chemistry- C
Biology- Just took final tonight and I think I failed it. So now I am starting to think maybe these science classes aren't for me. I felt so good before these classes. So question to all of you, did you ever do horrible in school and now you are getting the hang of it. Will I be able to make my brain work better???? :uhoh21:

Hi!! You're not alone!

I went back to school after ten years to become a nurse. I went to a Community College and took tons of pre-reqs to even get to the pre-reqs for our area nursing programs. I worked my ass off and got mostly A's and some B's. Guess where I got the B's. Science courses! I even got a C in Chemistry. I ended up taking a easy class in the summer semester so my GPA wouldn't suffer from the C.

I learned that science courses needed to be broken down and studied in a different manner than other courses. Take lots of notes, share notes with your classmates (everyone always seemed to have something I missed). Create a study group that meets at least twice a week, record your lectures and listen to them in the car, make lots of 4x6 index cards! I would make index cards of all the systems, put a single punch hole in them and hold them together with a key ring. Then you can pull them out when ever and where ever and they stay in order. Uh, lets see...do the cd-roms and online services in the back of your text book. Buy anatomy coloring books, they work!!

It's work but it paid off! I started Nursing School this week!! :) :balloons: :)

Good luck! You can do it!

K

nurse_elyse · Aug 25, 2005

I know how frustraiting it can be when you've done so well in all your other classes and then the science classes blow you away. I would do like KNL6/25/05 suggested. Note cards are a real help when it comes time to study. I also used a tape recorder in my classes and listened to them over and over again as I studied my notes. Dont give up! You will do better in your classes, and just remember when you need help we are all here!

Annabelle57 · Aug 25, 2005

I was only out of school for 5 years when I decided to go back for nursing, and the first class I took was this ridiculously easy Dev Psych class (no joke: 25-question multiple-choice TAKE HOME tests that you had to really try to fail). So I thought this going-back-to-school bit would be pretty easy. Well, hah! I took Microbiology and thought I had descended into hell! :uhoh3:

The good news is, I survived and you can too. I second the recommendations the others have given: index cards will be your new best friends. Everyone has their own learning style; for me, I found that if I write it, I remember it. So, I would take very good notes in class, then make 4 x 6 note cards to quiz myself, then when I would go back through those cards to test myself, I would write down my answers. That worked best for me. Most people benefit from study groups, and I did, too, just as long as I didn't end up in a group that gossiped more than studied, where I ended up just going home and learning twice as much in half the time.

Tape recorders didn't work for me, only because I know my tendencies: if I tape record it, I'm apt to let my attention wander in class, then either be completely lost when I listen to the tapes or somehow never find time to listen to the tapes! But I have friends who swear by them (friends more disciplined than I am!). I just made sure that my attention was focused during class and tried to learn as much as I could during the actual lecture. Sure, I needed to review it, but I tried to at least leave the classroom understanding the concept well, so that when I reviewed my notes and made my 4x6s, I could visualize what I was writing about. This was definitely easier to do in A & P rather than Microbiology, but it worked in both cases.

Both my textbooks also came with CD-ROMs with either sample test questions, self-quiz items, or pictures of realistic-looking slide sample pictures, and I used to review them every day during my luch hour at work. That was the other thing: I made sure I studied or reviewed EVERY DAY, but not to overkill, because then it would seem like I forgot everything. Even if you know you have to memorize 100 things, make it your task to just memorize 5 for that day, and know them well - then do 5 the next day.

I don't know if this helps at all, but it does get better. It's not that the classes get easier (they don't) but you will adapt those survival study techniques and get better.

Hang in there! :wink2:

Micci · Aug 25, 2005

For my Biology class- the only science I have taken so far- the teacher gave us lecture notes. Kind of an overview of the subjects he was going to cover. Then I would take notes during the lecture. At home, I would go through the review the teacher gave and type them up with my notes, lots of spaces in between for writing. Then I would have a guide as I read through the book, to put notes on and such. Having something to write on and fill out, kept me on track while reading.

I didn't do note cards with Bio, because the teacher was cramming a semesters worth of info into a 10 week course, and the amount of information was just too overwhelming for rote memorization. I just determined to understand the material and I did well.

casi, ASN, RN · Aug 25, 2005

Don't beat yourself up over this. Science classes are hard!

I would definately try to set up a study group in the classes. Also if you receive a grade your uncomfortable with, think about retaking the class.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Aug 25, 2005

Don't stress too much over this. Sciences are difficult. I agree with the post above mine. Best wishes to you.

brandyl123 · Aug 25, 2005

I know how frustraiting it can be when you've done so well in all your other classes and then the science classes blow you away. I would do like KNL6/25/05 suggested. Note cards are a real help when it comes time to study. I also used a tape recorder in my classes and listened to them over and over again as I studied my notes. Dont give up! You will do better in your classes, and just remember when you need help we are all here!

Just wanted to say thanks for the encouragement from all of you. Guess I needed it. I love this website, when I feel down about my classes or overwhelmed it helps me to read that I am not the only one who goes through this. I will find out my grade today, if I passed with a C or above I will be excited to email the Nursing advisor at my school to have my name OFFICIALLY PUT ON THE WAITING LIST FOR NURSING SCHOOL. Thats why I was a little bummed out because this summer I had to take English 2, Chemistry Biology the NET test(which I took twice and Passed 2nd) so I feel I accomplished all of that and I will just pray I passed this Biology and will definitly try harder next time.

Thanks again for all your support. :)

hikernurse · Aug 25, 2005

If your spring/summer terms are shorter than the regular terms that can make a huge difference. I took Stats in the spring and got a grade lower than I would have if I had taken it in a longer semester. I don't care enough to retake it, however, LOL.

I, too, went back after a long absence from school and was only able to take one science class a semester paired with an easier non-science class (like nutrition).

Now that you know what to expect in science classes, they'll be easier for you. What helped me was to say I would study for a certain number of hours a day, every day. If I got them over with early in the day, yippee, but there were a lot of days where I'd be the last one awake, hunched over my Anatomy book. I just started NS and I'm going to have to go back to that system .

Also, carry your note cards with you everywhere. I got a ton of studying done waiting at the post office, in car pool lines, walking the halls during church with a noisy toddler. . .